A fire frought with pain
by Sderai
Summary: after moria, tensions rise, and mainly about one little fire. R&R, no romance, but a bit of boromir getting very upset. VERY upset.
1. Chapter 1

So this is my newest story. I've had a few weeks at school to get used to life and started typing this up yesterday. but the computer deleted my second chapter so updated will take a bit longer than first anticipated.

Disclaimer: not mine. sorry to disapoint. and please reveiw!

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Easing his pack, Strider looked about him. They had come far today and he looked forward to some hot water, although it was doubtfull there would be a fire tonight. 

It wa the second day out from Moria and still Gandalfs death was heavy on them all. He tried to look out for them all, but it was hard, and often too, he would need to put the others emotions to one side and focus on taking them to the Elves, where they could rest. But now, he was ready to let them stop, and this they all did, immediately dropping their packs and filling their water. Strider, ready to continue walking for longer than he had been, was loath to relax yet. Going to Gimli he murmered "Do you think we could have a fire? For unless you saw Orc tracks, I feel warm drink and fire would cheer us all." Gimli nodded, "I did not see any reason to not have a fire, but ask Legolas and Boromir too." Strider nodded, then, clapping Gimli on the shoulder he said, 'I thank thee for your support, Gimli. You have been most helpful to me, and I wish I could thank you more. Maybe later, you will get what you deserve." The dwarf seemed to blush, "Thankyou Dunudian, it is good to know I can be of help."

Smiling, Strider crossed the tussock to Boromir and Legolas. "Friends," he bagan. They looked up and Strider was shocked at the pain in their faces, "Do you see any reason why we cannot have a fire tonight? It would bring a measure of cheer to us all and I have not seen orcs lately."

Boromir snorted, "I guess two days ago was a long time for you then? How could you force them, us, to continue while you know we are in grief? Do you think you can do what Gandalf could not? Do you feel no sorrow? No pain at his going? Are you immune? You are no king and if you drive your people this hard you never will be!"

By the end, Boromir was shouting and Legolas was shying away. Sighing, Aragorn squatted down, " Boromir, I can never hope to take Gandalfs place. I do not want to. We cannot mourn forever and we can cry while we walk. We must get to the elves, now more than ever, and to do that we must keep walking. Is moving one foot in front of the other too big a price to pay for our safety and to carry news of Gandalfs passing so he may be remembered in style? You have not answered my original question yet. Can we have a fire? You are upset Boromier, let the question pass."

Legolas leaned forwards as Aragorn slotted himself between them, leaning a crying Boromir against him. "We can have a fire, Estel, and hot drink, tea if you have leaves. No-one should speak to you like that, even if they are upset. The rest of us believe in you, Estel. Gandalf did too. He said to me once, while you were on watch. You are more a leader than we will ever be."

Strider smiled. "Thankyou. I have not seen you weep, nor heard you sing, It may take too long to go to the Elves and wait for them to sing. Tomorrow, we shall talk?" As legolas nodded, Aragorn hugged him thankfully, then he eased of a now dozing boromir and said, "Now to get the fire going."

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AN2: reveiw people! I had fun writing this, especially the Boromir yelling bits, so please let me know how much you enjoyed it, or not. 


	2. Chapter 2

AN: well, I have received three reveiws so far, and all of them asked for more. thre's no point in holding this back, except I haven't even written chapter three yet, so there will be a much longer wait for that one, sorry, as school is very very hectic.

disclaimer: not mine, never will be, so just read the story and reveiw.

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Leaving the others, Strider bypassed the hobbits, who had simply fallen into a huge hug, and went looking for some wood. Circling the camp he came back past the hobbits again and this time kicked one, he wasn't sure which, and said, "Come on you lot." 

Continuing on he found Gimli, Boromir and Legolas rearranging their packs so they formed a circle outside that formed by the bedrolls. They had found some stones and Gimli was getting out his flint.

Putting down the wood, Strider crouched, beginning to lay out the wood nedded for kindling. As was custom, there was one less bed than there were party members, to prevent those on watch going to sleep. Finished pushing around kindling, Strider neatly stacked the rest of the wood while Gimli got the fire going.

Sam had by this time arrived and was digging in his pack. "Here you go Mr. Strider sir. A nice billy so's you can make tea. Pippin has some water for you." As Sam spoke, Pippin came up, complete with water. Tipping it into the billy he said, "Thankyou for the fire, but" Looking worried, "I hope you have some tea."

Strider smiled and nodded to him, "I found some but if I'd picked them then they would have been used for kindling instead. Legolas must be getting them now." The whole time he had been speaking, Strider had fashioned himself a billy holder, and now he carefully put the billy over the fire. It hung there, smoke curling round it, while Boromir loked on in awe. Such practicality, in such a simple, offhand way. he could never do that sort of thing while holding a perfectly decent conversation. He wasn't even sure if his would turn out to have the exact ninety degree angles of the Rangers, either. He was pretty sure it wouldn't, in fact. Like most of them he had been thinking about Gandalf today, and now he remembered what the old wizard had said once. "He's a strong man, Boromir, but for all that, he's very forgiving. Just in case though, try not to rile him. He can be unpredictable at times. He's only human." And Gandalf had sighed, as if reminded of a terrible fate. Boromir wondered what was so bad at being human, until he saw legolas looming out of the night. Silently. Annoying Elves

Legolas returned, bearing leaves. "They were where you said, Estel." He said, dropping them intop the steaming Billy. "I would have walked right past them if it was much darker, but they do make the best tea. Thankyou." Nodding and smiling breifly, Strider sat back from the billy, surrounding himself by hobbits. Sam on one side, Frodo in front and Merry and Pippin on the other. Strider pushed Frodo down then told him to take off his shuirt, "I want to see your bruises." he explained.

In one smooth motion he had removed cloak, shirt and Mithril so you couldn't see any of the precious mail. Laying it on the ground, he bade Frodo relax, stretch and curl in, talking all the while. Then he felt all along his back and side ignoring the complaints of, 'That tickles" and paying only passing heed to the 'It hurts' that came less frequently. Pronouncing himself satisfied, Strider pulled it all back on to Frodo as smoothly as it had come off and let him nestle into Sam.

Boromir shoved his face over the billy, "It's just bubbling. I'll find the cups." He said, and ambled off. Legolas and Gimli were in conversation about Elf and Dwarf culture. "Cultures so different and yet surprisingly similar." Murmered Strider, then turned his attention back to the hobbits. "So my fiorneds" he said. "I am pleased with our progress, how are you Merry?"

"As all the other hobbits, Strider. Sorry for Gandalf, worriede about our homes and our mission and pleased to be so close to the elves." Pippin spoke up, "And pleased to have a fire. It's such a cheering thing, to have tea." Strider smiled where the others laughed. "Do you remember the tea we had at Frodos when Biblo was 100?" asked Sam. Suddenly Strider was not needed as they picked apart their memories of the Shire.

Slowly, he slipped away to talk to Boromir, who was looking from cups to the billy and back. "Come my friend, let us have tea poured and sit and talk. We men must stick together you know." he chivvied, lifting the billy with the aid of his recently shed coat. Boromir looked at the dilapidated shirt Strider was wearing under his coat and sighed. Strider, unconcerned about the amount of skin showing through his shirt said, "Boromir? Can you pass me the mugs please?" Shaken out of his reverie, Boromir obliged, even going so far as to pass out the correct mugs to everyone. Strider pured his own last then refilled the billy and set it on the fire. "I propose a toast." He said, to warn the others not to drink. They nodded, blowing on their tea. Strider did the same a while, the raised his own battered mug. "To Gandalf, our friend and protecter, who has led us through so much. May he find peace wherever he has gone." The others raised their mugs and replied, "To Gandalf!"

Beside Strider, Boromir urmered, "An interesting idea, to toast the dead who we have yet to honour, Have you _no_ shame?" Strider leaned bask with his mug. "You think so? Do you not think it helps to talk? Look around." All the other members of the now broken fellowship were now talking freely about Gandalf, their memories and their stories. Looking back to Boromir, Strider saw he understood. "What do you remember about Gandalf, Boromir?"

Boromir smiled. "Only a few memories compared to Gimli and Frodo but mine are as precious as anything else I have." Looking over at them, Legolas sighed. Damn Estel. He would help others mourn first then deal with himself in a perfunctuary manner. "Legolas? Are you listening?" asked Gimli, stealing back his attention.

Unaware of how he was being watched, Boromir continuied to talk to Strider and the man listened, welcoming the pain.

"I knew Gandalf when I was young, but he did not come very often, and when he did he did not give us fireworks or feasts as with the Hobbits, but rather brought us news about our enemies. This was not a good idea as some people associated Gandalf with the bad news, instead of seeing he was helping us stay ready and not loose parts of our land to Orcs. But I had never really spent time with him just because we were together until I came with you on this quest. I had not realised he was so funny, nor how much he and Bilbo shared, let alone how far back he went with the Elves."

Strider nodded, looking at the hobbits, Frodo in silent tears as Pippin and Merry mourned in their own waym, playing games with their memoris. Sam was listening to GImli and Legolas. "Gandalf and the Elves are friendsfrom way back." He agreed. "Do you want some more tea?" Boromir shook his head, "No, I think I will ready myself for bed. Who is taking first watch?" Strider thought for a moment, "Well, as you took it last time, it must be Gimlis turn. We shall keep to that roster." Boromir nodded, and went to remove his boots.

Digging in his pack, Strider went to the stream, dipping in his shirt and washing it. 'It is hard to sneak when you stink.' He had learned that a long time ago, and he now returned to the frie, drew out a needle and thread and began to mend his shirt.

"Dunudian!" said Gimli. "You are hurt, look at you"

Strider obediently looked, "No Gimli, that will heal." He assured the dwarf. Gimli nodded, "So long as you are sure, Dunudian." Strider smiled. "We've a long day ahead and you have first watch." He reminded the dwarf. Gimli left.

"I don't know Estel." Murmered Legolas, who had been in the background. "Why this sudden interest in clothes- mending? And from the looks of your scars, those wounds will not heal."

Strider sighed. "Gandalf dying reminded me. He used to quote, 'it's hard to sneak while you stink.' And I realised what a bad condition my shirt was in. I'm not sure if I'll even see the Elves you know. We will end up staying too long."

Legolas sighed. "We need to rest Estel, to give us the best chance of completeing our task. And you know you will enjoyb the company when you go to them."

Estel nodded. "You are right. Besides, how could I forget, you must greive, the faster if it is in song. Begin now. When did you first meet Gandalf?"

Legolas, while aware of many of Estels tricks or deterrants, didn't realise this meant all Estel had to do was sit and plan, letting Legoals talk.

At the moment, Strder had a few problems, so he decided to start thinking about them. If he had Legolas talking he would not be interrupted unless it was something important. How he missed Gandalf! What could he do now? He was expected to lead the fellowship and how could he do that as well as Gandalf had?

"Estel? Thankyou. I'm going to bed now." Legolas stood, clapping Estels shoulder. "Goodnight Legolas. I am off soon too." Replied Estel, not really looking up. Sghing, Legolas stepped over the dozing hobbits and went to bed.

What could he do about Estel? Suddenly the very man was beside him. "Legolas, sleep now, hush." He murmerd, and then, in an even lower voice, "Tomorrow I would have you talk to Sam, he seems troubled." Then he was gone again. Legolas peered out of his blanket, he could see Estel next to Boromir now, talking. Then Boromir nodded and went to bed.


End file.
